Rooftop Conversations
by ghostwriter123
Summary: We all remember the rooftop conversation between Parker and Nate in "the long goodbye job". This is my take on all that was left unsaid and implied. WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE!


WARNING: SPOILERS FOR "The last goodbye job". YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

_**General POV**_

Parker and Nate stood atop the roof planning for the next job. As Nate was going on about wind speed and vectors, Parker couldn't help but ask the question that had been bugging her for the past few weeks.

"Nate…"

The mastermind stopped mid rant to face his thief and give her full attention.

"Nate, for the past few jobs we pulled, you've been bringing me along to scout places and plan things, and not just the scouting, you involve me in laying out the cons too. Why? Shouldn't this be a Sophie thing?"

Nate smiled. He had wondered how long it would be till Parker asked the inevitable question.

"I trust you, Parker. Your brain works in a very unique way. You visualize things in 3d like a puzzle and turn things around until all the pieces of the problems fit. It's not how I do it, but it works, and I trust your judgment."

_**Nate's POV**_

Nate could have said more but he didn't. He knew by what was left unsaid between them that she understood that he knew; He knew she was smarter than she let on, possibly even smarter than Nate, though he would never admit it. Interactions with Archie Leech had only confirmed his suspicions about the thief. Her ability to visualize building and security layouts pointed to a photographic memory that she probably wasn't too aware she had; but that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Along with her agility and skill, she had a knack for figuring things out and learning things. Her ability to pick up hacking in a few months of training by Hardison was impressive. Hardison would never admit it but Nate knew the hacker was jealous that Parker seemed to be able to pick up in a month what took Alec a year to figure out.

It wasn't just hacking. The thief had learnt parts of all their skills – grifting, hitting, masterminding. Her ability to be a Jack-of-all-trades and yet still the undisputed Master-of-her-art, was unparalleled and amazing.

Nate also knew that it was Parker that figured out the secret of the house during that murder mystery job; it was Parker that figured out how to stop the Spanish Flu during that caper they pulled without Nate and Sophie, and it was Parker that went solo when everyone else was away and pulled a perfect job in the restaurant. Nate had observed more than enough to realize that Parker's 'dumb act' was just that, an act. Many times, she figured things out before anyone else and used her own weird antics and quirky statements to push others toward the answer. If she wanted to, she could show them all up but she didn't.

Parker was capable enough to go solo if she wanted; to betray them all and get away with it if she wanted; but she didn't and wouldn't. Despite all her prowess, she was humble and for the most part honest. She valued family and had developed a strong moral compass that sometimes put Nate's own to shame. Most of all, against all odds, she had proven to be loyal to this unorthodox family that they had all grown to love and treasure. That was why he trusted her; that was why he chose her.

_**Parker's POV**_

Parker stood speechless. Never had three words been so powerful to her – 'I trust you'.

Throughout her life, she had trusted no one, being forced to fend for herself. Even Archie had taught her not to trust anyone but herself and to always look out for herself. Throughout much of her life, she had been a loner, an outcast, a misfit that nobody ever wanted around. Nobody ever trusted her, and she never trusted anyone in return. It didn't matter if it was in the foster homes, being part of the carjacking crew, being Archie's protégé, or just going on her own adventures as a master thief; she never trusted anyone and had begun to believe that she never would. That was the life she had known before that first job with the rest of the team.

Working with them had made her go everything she ever learnt – don't depend on others, don't trust others, don't put yourself at other's mercy, look out for yourself first, etc.

Then the unthinkable happened, she fell in love with this unorthodox family; they all did. The drunken broken-hearted father, the failed actress mother, the violent big brother with a shady past, the geeky middle brother who's a computer whiz, and her, the awkward little sister. They became a family to her, they showed kindness, friendship and love to her – concepts that were previously alien and not within the realm of possibility for her. They even risked their lives for her - an act that sealed her trust in them and made her love them even more though she would never admit it.

But even more incredible, was that somewhere along the line, they learnt to trust each other; they learnt to trust _her._

Parker fought back tears as the implications of that statement struck her.

Nate trusted her as a fellow thief, as a colleague, as a friend and as a daughter. He trusted her with his life and the life of the team every time they went on a mission; and now, he was trusting her to take over from him; he was entrusting her with his legacy, with the legacy and future of Leverage Inc.

_**General POV**_

Finding her voice, Parker pointed out the unsaid fact that Nate's statement implied.

"You're leaving aren't you? This is your out, your last hurrah, your long goodbye, right?"

Nate turned and just smiled; It was a warm smile, a genuine and endearing smile, the kind of smile a proud father would give his daughter; it was a smile that said more than words ever could to reaffirm everything Parker knew as truth about her family and their future.

"Take good care of her, Nate, for all of us."

Parker didn't have to imply who 'her' was, it was a mutually understood part of the package and one that Parker hoped would give Nate the happy ending he so deserved.

As she watched Nate walk towards the roof door, it dawned on her that she never answered Nate's question about the vectors.

"Nate, wait! It's 18.5 miles per hour right?"

**THE END**

_Author's Note:_

_This is my little POV of what I think happened on that rooftop, what was not said and what flashed through their heads. I apologize if I got any of the actual dialogue from the episode wrong. I love Leverage. _


End file.
